After years of debate, state lawmakers moved closer Wednesday toward punishing corrupt state and local politicians and employees by allowing a judge to revoke or reduce their government pensions.Proponents said they hope the legislation will help regain the public’s trust in government after a series of high-profile public corruption cases across Connecticut that included the fall of former Gov. John G. Rowland. They also were hopeful new ethics reforms would deter politicians from breaking the law.

“It’s been a long haul to get here,” said Sen. Judith Freedman, R-Westport. “I think we’ve all been burned by what has happened in this state in many instances.”

The bill, which also requires mandatory ethics training for state legislators, passed on a 35-0 vote, despite complaints from a few senators that the pension revocation provision is not tough enough.

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